Angels Fear to Tread
by Calisto Kerrigan
Summary: While apologizing for his mischievous ways, Sirius uses poetry to show his true feelings and win the heart of his favorite bookworm.


**Story Notes:**

This story was written for the _30 Candles Challenge_ over at _hermionesirius_ on LJ with 'Shakespeare' as the prompt. Quotes used are poorly cited in endnotes. LOL

Disclaimer: All characters and recognizable character situations belong to J.K. Rowling. I am making no money from the writing and posting of this story. Thanks for reading ;)

* * *

Sirius followed Hermione, tight on her heels as she raced up the steps until she basically slammed the back door in his face. He sighed. Hell hath no fury…as an angry witch.

"Hermi-"

Hermione spun around angrily. "Don't!" She said tightly, her eyes blazing with fury. "You… Infantile… Overgrown…_Prat_!"

"Hermione," Sirius pleaded, "it was just a prank, luv."

"Sirius," Hermione started…stopped…closed her eyes, counted to ten, then continued to twenty before looking at the apologetic older wizard. "They could have gotten into seri-" She closed her eyes again and took a deep breath. "Ron and Harry could have lost their jobs because of your little prank. You're just lucky Kingsley is so forgiving."

"But you're not?" he asked quietly, wondering when her smiles had become so important to him. He shook his head, he was an idiot. An old, besotted, has-been of an idiot.

Hermione tried to maintain her anger and avoid his eyes. She was a sucker for his eyes. She knew he was trying to apologize and if she was completely honest, she was angrier with herself than him. The prank had been amusing and Kingsley forgiving, but what had really set her off was that ridiculous witch, Bambi…or whatever her ridiculous name, kissing Sirius. Hermione hadn't bothered to see anything else before she stormed out.

She sighed. _Blessed is the man who expects nothing, for he shall never be disappointed_1_…_Or witch, she thought. She had no right to expect anything from him. He had his own life…and she was only his godson's best friend, after all.

She really needed to get away from England for a while. _Maybe Bulgaria…errr, nope, still not allowed back there. The States. That sounded good._ The job was only for a year but it should be enough. It would be far away from the sexy older wizard that had haunted her dreams since she was sixteen. She had to remember: Harry's godfather. Harry's godfather. _Harry's - sexy as all get out - godfather. NO!_ She shook her head, she was an idiot.

"Sirius-"she started, but she forgot her own rule and looked up into his apologetic grey eyes …forgetting what she was going to say.

"Hermione?" Sirius asked expectantly.

"Oh, umm," she mumbled, shaking her head and pretending to look around for jumper. "Well, you see," she started as she bit her lip and made her decision. "I've decided to take that research position in the States and I really need to be sure that …."

Sirius heard nothing after States as his heart dropped to his stomach… then to his ankles. _She can't leave!_ He scrambled for a reason, any reason, as to why she couldn't leave but in reality there was none. They were all adults and the war was over and she had a life. _Fuck!_

"Sirius… are you even listening to what I'm saying?" Hermione asked in a huff.

"My bounty is as deep as the sea,  
My love as deep;  
the more I give to thee,  
The more I have, for both are infinite,"2

he said, the words spilling from his lips without thought of the repercussions.

Hermione's eyes widened. She opened her mouth but quickly shut it again. She looked into his stormy grey depths to try to decipher his true intent. "Wha-?"

He started it, and now he just followed his instinct, plunging head on into the unknown. Like a true Grinffindor.

"Doubt thou the stars are fire,  
Doubt the sun doth move,  
Doubt truth to be a liar  
but never doubt thy love."3

He can't! He's not! But… Hermione took a deep breath and tried valiantly to focus. It was just wishful thinking on her part, she knew but oh… the thoughts that had blazed across her eyes.

Sirius thought he had seen something flash across her eye. It gave him hope but as he opened his mouth to quote more Shakespeare, that hope died a thousand deaths.

"Sirius," Hermione said primly, "quoting Shakespeare is not necessary. Apology accepted though I really think you should apologize to Kingsley more than me." She picked up her jumper and headed for the Floo. "Besides," she said over her shoulder, "if you are trying to get on my good side, you should try to remember that I prefer Pope to Shakespeare."

"What?" Sirius asked, scrambling for anything that would keep her in his house just a bit longer.

Hermione turned to face him. "I prefer Alexander Pope to Shakespeare."

"Shakespeare is beloved by all, Granger," Sirius quirked his eyebrow. "He's is popular for a reason."

She crossed her eyes and tapped her foot angrily. How many times had she heard this argument before? "So are sparkly vampires but that doesn't make them good!"

Sirius bit back a smile as the words came to him. "No woman ever hates a man for being in love with her, but many a woman hate a man for being a friend to her."4 He walked up to her, running his fingers lightly over her cheek. "Do you hate me for trying to be your friend, Hermione? I didn't think I could be anything but a friend. Is there a chance I can more?" He murmured against her temple.

Hermione couldn't help but lean into his caress and then give him more access as he continued to say the words she had longed to hear.

"On life's vast ocean diversely we sail, Reason the card, but passion is the gale,"5 He whispered against her mouth before tasting her sweet lips that he had been fantasizing about for years.

Hermione forgot to breathe. Feeling this sexy wizard she had fantasized for so long, had her head spinning and she wasn't sure if she wanted it to stop or keep going. But the minute his tongue ran across her lip, she opened up to him, sucking his tongue into her mouth and tasting the honey vanilla tea he favored and eliciting a hungry moan from him.

As she deepened the kiss, Sirius needed no further invitation to pull her tightly against his body, reveling in the feel of how well they fit together.

They were both breathing heavily by the time they finally pulled apart. He opened his mouth to speak but she simply shook her head and raised her hand, stopping him short.

"Stop," she gasped. "I might be able to walk away from that kiss, but if you keep quoting Pope then we'll end up naked in bed and I'll just be another conquest and then we won't even be able to be friends anymore."

That sounded fine to him. The naked part sounded just fine and he knew exactly what to say.

"For fools rush in where angels fear to tread,"6 Sirius smiled, pulling her to him again. "There are no more conquests for me, Hermione. For my heart was stolen right from under me by the greatest witch of her generation." He leaned forward, claiming her lips as his prize.

* * *

1 Alexander Pope  
2 William Shakespeare  
3 Shakespeare  
4 Pope  
5 Pope  
6 Pope


End file.
